Thursday, March 09, 2023

The Ill Wind Weekly Link Round-Up

 

 
I'll begin this post with what I saw when I opened the curtains Thursday morning.
 
 

 
Once again, a winter storm blew through. Once again, it took out something on the property. The day this posts, the new carport should be in place. We haven't heard back yet from the Cactus Doctor, but I'm afraid this big old senita cactus is a goner because it's not covered by insurance and we simply don't have the money to hire a crane to hoist it back into place. It will be like losing a piece of our history.

How could something like this happen? Saturated soil from repeated rains. A very large plant with a very shallow root system. A very strong wind from just the right direction. I know we need every drop of rain we can get, but enough is enough with the wind!

oOo

Now I'm moving on to a subject that chaps my hide. In mid-February when Sam of Book Chase blogged about a 16-year-old book review someone told Google was offensive (the post now has a warning banner that must be clicked through before you can read it), little did I know that I would soon be going one better.

Someone turned in a 15-year-old book review of mine as being offensive, and Google deleted it completely. What is all the fuss about? A review of a non-fiction book about prostitution in the early West. Did the author glorify prostitution? No. Did I say in my review that prostitution is a wonderful line of work? No. But... my review is offensive and harms the delicate sensibilities of others.

Why are we letting the inmates run the asylum?

Let's move on to the links!



►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
 
►Book Banning & Censorship◄
 
►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄
 
►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄
 
►The Wanderer◄
 
►Fascinating Folk◄
 
►I ♥ Lists◄
 
That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.
 
And don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!

20 comments:

  1. I am so sorry to hear about the cactus, Cathy! So sad!! I'm glad about your carport being in place, though. I hope this crazy weather eases up. Anyway, about deleting your post? This is what happens when common sense goes out the window.... I'm off to Luxor and then Mexico...

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  2. Good for you writing reviews on current topics and standing up to the naysayers. One can choose to read or not read a book. That doesn't mean someone has the right to stop anyone else from reading a book. I read plenty of books I didn't agree with when I was a teenager, but my ethics and core beliefs were not shaken up or changed -- although I did ban some writers from my reading. But it was my choice, not the state's, the library's or the school's. I figured out what was good writing and what was not. So sad to see that list on book bans growing.

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    Replies
    1. I keep hoping that it will get shorter, but evidently I'm not hoping hard enough.

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    2. There is such a concerted campaign behind the book banning which goes along with other bad policies. Parents, teachers, students have to stand up to it and find workarounds. Some students are having their own book clubs and reading banned books. I feel bad for the librarians and teachers who have to deal with this and remove or cover up books. Or they face being fired or even charged with a felony. Can you imagine that? It's books, ideas, nothing dangerous. But I guess new ideas and learning about the world threaten some people.

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    3. It seems to be taking people too long to wake up to this very real danger. And too many of the misguided are pulling their children out of public schools to be homeschooled... You know the sort of bunk these poor children are going to be taught. Makes my blood boil.

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    4. Yes. I know people who are "home schooling," although I don't think much learning is going on. It's just getting worse. And I am totally in knots over what is going on with women in Texas. And other states.

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    5. As the Chinese would say, we are living in interesting times.

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  3. I'm sorry one of your posts got cancelled. What exactly is so offensive about a review of a nonfiction book? I don't care what the book is about...the first amendment says we can talk about whatever we want. I hate this movement to censor people's ideas just because someone else disagrees.

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    Replies
    1. The more I think about it, the more I think it was a random algorithm bot trained to throw a fit when certain key words pop up. And- of course-- it's all up to me to get the review back on my blog where it belongs, but I really don't need the aggravation.

      Delete
  4. I'm so sorry one of your posts got deleted. That is so maddening. So sad to see your old cactus get blown over. This has been such a crazy winter. Hope you have a good and relaxing weekend!

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    Replies
    1. It's looking like it will be. I hope yours is, too!

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  5. Condolences on your cactus!

    And how infuriating to hear about your review! If someone contacting Google makes them take it down, can I contact Google to complain until they put it back?

    I hope your new carport arrived and was installed without any problems!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have to wait another week for both the carport installation and the cactus takeaway. We just couldn't afford the $1500 it would've taken to have it put back up.

      As far as the review goes, do either of us need the aggravation of going toe-to-toe with a )($(^4 algorithm bot?

      Delete
  6. What a loss that beautiful cactus is. My condolences.

    You feature an especially fascinating collection of posts this week. I think my favorite may be the one about the "scourge of reading."

    Sadly, I, too, have noticed a decline in the number of Purple Martins that return to my neighborhood each year. They are among my favorite summer residents.

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    Replies
    1. My grandparents had a big martin house, and I loved watching those birds every summer.

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  7. Cathy, so irritating about a post from many years ago being deleted - a review of a non-fiction book no less. Sheesh! Think your idea of 'bot' might have merit. Sorry about your cactus. The weather this year - weird deluxe.

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  8. Amazing about those old reviews. I'm waiting for one of mine to show up, lol. Have a good week.

    https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. I have a feeling that many of us will feel the bite of an algorithm bot.

      Delete

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